Hansel Yellow Labrador Retriever Male 7 Years Old ID #3466

March 17, 2025

Hi All,

Hansel is doing great in his foster home. He has not done any resource guarding. I can take anything from him. Today we exchanged a bully stick for a piece of string cheese without any issues.

I make him wait before he can eat his food. He is perfect. I have also been working with him so he is not so wary of men.  My husband has been feeding him pieces of string cheese while talking softly praising him and giving him head rubs. Hansel got up this morning and went and laid by the hospital bed waiting for FD to wake up and pass out more cheese.

I feel pretty confident that Hansel will be fine with men.  You just need to be soft and gentle with him and also have lots of string cheese. He is great with women.

I want to have Hansel meet a few more men before I post him. We went to Concord Pet where Hansel interacted with 2 men who gave him string cheese. He was nervous but did take the cheese from them. FD is giving him lots of attention as well.

1. No young kids for Hansel, teenagers yes.
2. Hansel can be placed with a female dog to peacefully coexist. He would be fine as the only dog.
3. A fence would be ideal. Hansel would definitely wander off if given the opportunity. Again it is not required.
4. Hansel needs an experienced adopter.
5. Hansel needs someone who. would continue to work with him teaching him boundaries. He can be mouthy but responds well to correction.

Hansel is a sweet guy. I really am enjoying hanging with him. He is a big happy mushy boy.

Hansel will be posted soon. He loves to go for short walks approx mile. He really likes being a couch potato and snuggling with FM.

March 12, 2025

Hi All

Meet Hansel, a 7-year-old, very handsome, former stud dog on a farm. Hansel was in a different foster home where he resource-guarded a bone with a little girl. Since then, I have been working with Hansel on appropriate behavior off the farm. I am pleased to say Hansel has not resource-guarded any toys or treats.

I believe it helps to live with another dog because Hansel can learn from the resident dogs in a house. Both Phoebe and Betty share toys and are good role models. Phoebe has a tendency to take everyone’s toy, Hansel is learning how to share. I have also been trading toys with Hansel or taking his toy away and then giving it back to him so he understands he will get the toy back eventually. He also has to wait until I release him so he can have dinner. He is allowed on the furniture, but he has to be invited. All this teaches him about pack order and takes away any confusion. He doesn’t have to be in charge anymore.

He is an amazing boy. He is very sweet and affectionate with me. He is beginning to warm up to FD, who is recovering from major surgery and is using a walker. Hansel has been very brave. He loves to play with Phoebe and Betty. He is very easy to be with.

Hansel is fantastic on leash. He never pulls. He likes to take his time and check out all the sights and smells. Phoebe accompanied us on a walk in the woods, and Hansel did not lag behind. Hansel does not require a lot of exercise. He is happy to snuggle with FM. Hansel is a bit mouthy but is easily corrected.

Hansel will be posted in a few weeks. Hansel should not be placed with kids. Only teenagers. He would love a friend. He is joyful when playing with the resident dogs. I know he is great with my girls. I am not sure about male dogs, though. It would have to be a case-by-case basis.

Stay tuned

February 15, 2025

I have great news to share! First, my neutering went well and I’m at home recovering but the best news of all is that I do NOT have hip dysplasia!! While I was at the vet, I got X-rays on my hips which showed no signs of dysplasia. My thyroid levels were low which was causing me discomfort. I’m going to start taking a supplement to raise my thyroid levels. I’m going to be taking it easy for the next two weeks while I recover.

February 12, 2025

Tomorrow is my neutering. Wish me luck!! I’m so happy the Eagles won! My foster family left me home alone for the entire game, and I did great! I made no messes.

I’ve started trusting my foster dad again, it didn’t take much. He just needed to give me my dinner and a few slices of cheese and we became friends again.

I get so excited when it’s time to go for a walk, I put my whole tush into foster mom. Good thing she has strong legs! I definitely would love to have a yard to run around in.

I got my first package in the mail yesterday! Thank you to Brookline for providing me with an entire box of goodies! I’ve actually even started chewing a bone!!

February 9, 2025

I’ve had a busy week.  I went to the vet for a routine check-up, I was so well-behaved at the office that the staff asked if I was a guide dog! I am not, I just have great manners.  The vet found out I have a previously torn ACL which has since healed and I also have hip dysplasia. Next week when I get neutered, I will be getting X-rays to have a better look at the hip dysplasia. I loved the car ride to and from the vet, especially sticking my head out the window.

Foster dad was traveling on business all last week and I seem to have forgotten who he was. Before he left I was a happy boy around him, now I’m a little scared around him. I just walk away from him and foster dad is giving me my space until I feel comfortable again.

My new favorite thing is to do yoga with my foster mom. Every time she rolls out the yoga mat, I think it’s for me!

I now let foster mom know when I have to go poop outside by jamming my head into her and whining a little bit. I continue to have no accidents at night in the bedroom but am still working on letting my foster mom know when I have to pee during the day.  She takes me out several times a day and rewards me with hot dogs or cheese which I could take or leave. I have no interest in dog treats. Let’s just say I’m not making potty training easy on my foster family!  I’m glad they are still giving me lots of love and not getting upset with me as I try and figure it out.

February 3, 2025

I had such a great weekend. I got to play with some of my friends.

I also had a lot of little people in my house and didn’t mind all the noise.

Foster mom walked me on a busy road and I was fine with the road noise. I don’t show any reaction if a squirrel scurries past or a bird flies by either. I do like to dig and get muddy. My Foster family keeps a pack of dog wipes at the door so they can wipe me down every time I come back inside. I absolutely love being outside and pretty stubborn when it’s time to go in.

My foster family left me for 4 hours and I was such a good boy. They say I’m very trustworthy when it comes to items on the floor, table, or trash; I just leave them alone. However, if the opportunity presents itself, I will stick my head in the toilet.  I still have to wear the belly band when my foster family leaves me by myself but I no longer have to wear the belly band at night time and during the day when someone is home. They do have to watch me, just in case I decide to mark my territory.

January 31, 2025

Quick update on what’s been going on in my foster home! I am currently eating wet food mixed with dry food which I enjoy. I’m surprisingly a slow eater.  I don’t beg for human food, and I never put my paws on the counter (or furniture).

I have only barked once.  I don’t mind when people are walking past the house or when people ring the doorbell.  We’ve had a few visitors in the house and I don’t mind.  I sniff them, ask for some pets, and then once I determine they are safe, I go back and assume my favorite position which is laying down at the front door.

Foster mom loves that I sleep through the night.  I sleep soundly from 10pm – 7am. I sleep in the master bedroom on the floor with no accidents. Potty training during the day is going okay.  I’m not trusted without my belly band just yet but I’m getting better.  I got caught lifting my leg on the wall yesterday but abruptly put my leg down after a firm “no”.  Then I left the room and went to sulk.  I am a very sensitive boy.

I love my foster family and just spending time with them and getting lots of snuggles and pets!

January 28, 2025

Hi Friends!

I’m happy to report that I have fully mastered stairs! It took me a few days but I got it.  I’m no longer scared to go down them.  It helps that I’m attached like Velcro to foster mom so I will pretty much do anything to follow her.

My foster family said I was still stinky so I got my second bath.  I liked this one much better, I let my foster family scrub and scrub.  Now I try to hop into the bathtub on my own, even when there’s no water in it.  I guess I am going to be a water dog!

I love car rides, although I’m still a bit hesitant jumping in and out of the car, but once I’m in, I love it, especially when the window is rolled down.  I love to stick my big block head out the window! I had my first vet visit and was very well-behaved.  Turns out I have a UTI so I’m on some medicine for that.  I happily take the medicine if it’s folded into a piece of cheese.  I’m still a little shark-like while taking the cheese but my foster mom is working with me to take treats a little more gently.

I’ve met a few dogs on my daily walks and I was a perfect gentleman during our intros.  I’m very well-behaved on the leash and get SO excited when it’s time for a walk.  My wiggle butt goes absolutely crazy when I see the leash.  I definitely love being outdoors and laying in the sunshine whenever possible!

January 26, 2025

Hi everyone, I’m Hansel!  I’m a handsome 7-year-old, 90-pound, English yellow Labrador Retriever that was brought to Brookline after my stud days were over at the farm.  My foster family was so happy to see me but they took one whiff of me and said I needed to go to the wash station before I went to my foster home.  I was very nervous and tried to jump out of the tub a few times, and on my way out, I marked a few display cases…

Once inside my foster home, my foster mom put a belly band on me to help with potty training, and good thing she did.  I tried to mark anything and everything.

I had never done stairs before so my foster family tried to teach them to me.  I got going up the stairs pretty fast but boy going down is scary.  Foster dad had to carry me down the stairs a few times.

I did not eat anything on my first day which is understandable as this house thing is all new to me.  I didn’t take to any treats or bones either.  Foster mom sat on the floor with me and got me to drink some water.

I slept great on my first night in the master bedroom on the floor.  Not a peep out of me, I was pretty tired from all the excitement. My belly band was wet so I guess I got up to pee at some point but I am incredibly light on my feet.  You can hardly hear me coming or going!  I also walk great on a leash and do not pull.  Not even when I see another human or dog.  I stand at attention and watch them, but I stay put next to my foster family.

I really love my foster siblings, my tail wags so much when I see the kids!  I’ll check back in later this week and let everyone know how I’m doing! Go Birds!